An ACHA Toolkit
Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence
American College Health Association
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Purpose of the Toolkit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Background
ACHA Position Statement on Preventing Sexual Violence on College and University Campuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Sexual Violence Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Re-visioning the Sexual Violence Continuum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Screening for Sexual Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Spread the Word about Preventing Sexual Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
10 Ways Young Men Can Prevent Sexual Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
The Importance of Consent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Preventing Sexual Violence through Empowering Campus Bystanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Alcohol and Sexual Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Prevention of Sexual Violence on Campus: An Assessment Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
The American College Health Association (ACHA) will be the principal advocate and leadership organization for college and
university health. The association will provide advocacy, education, communications, products and services, as well as promote
research and culturally competent practices to enhance its members' ability to advance the health of all students and the campus
community.
Shifting the Paradigm: Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence was developed by the American College Health Association and
supported by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Program Announcement #05040 (US4/CCU324945-02):
Enhancing Healthcare Providers Ability to Prevent Sexual Violence. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and
do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.
August 2008
American College Health Association
891 Elkridge Landing Road, Suite 100
Linthicum, MD 21090
Tel: (410) 859-1500
www.acha.org
2
Preface and Acknowledgements
Preface
The campus community has a stake in preventing sexual
violence and all members have a valuable role to play. With
our commitment, we can raise awareness of the primary
prevention of sexual violence within our college communities.
We hope this toolkit is a start on this much needed journey.
The 2005 ACHA Campus Violence White Paper
(www.acha.org/info_resources/06_Campus_Violence.pdf)
stated that
“…acts of violence have continued to force U.S.
colleges and universities to address the dangerous
and alarming violent events that send shockwaves
throughout many campuses and compromise
students’ health and safety.”
Acknowledgements
ACHA would like to thank Joetta L. Carr, PhD, Professor,
Western Michigan University (lead consultant), Terri Kersch,
MS, CHES, CWC, Health Educator, Siena College, and
Donna M. Barry, RN, APN-C, Director, University Health
Center, Montclair State University, for their tireless work
and support of this project and especially for making this
toolkit a reality. ACHA would also like to thank the many
ACHA members who provided feedback on the previous
drafts of the ACHA Position Statement on Preventing Sexual
Violence on College and University Campuses and this final
publication. It would not have been possible without the
feedback, guidance, and support. Lastly, ACHA thanks the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for its support.
The Campus Violence White Paper also reported that
“approximately 20-25% of college women are projected to
be victims of an attempted or completed rape during their
college careers.” Further, in the Spring 2007 ACHA-National
College Health Assessment, 3.9% of college women reported
attempted or actual sexual penetration against their will within
the last academic year, 10.6% reported sexual touching against
their will, and 1.9% reported a sexually abusive relationship.
College men reported 1.4%, 4.4%, and 1.3% on the same
variables respectively. Clearly, the challenge is upon us that
more needs to be done to address the prevention of sexual
violence on campus.
While there is a rich volume of tools, knowledge, and
resources for intervention after sexual violence, the emphasis
of this toolkit is to encourage prevention activities that take
place before sexual violence has occurred and create social
change and shift the norms regarding sexual violence. As
D. Lee, L. Guy, and B. Perry state:
For additional information about this project or this toolkit,
visit www.acha.org/SexualViolence or contact Robert L.
Ward, MS, ACHA Project Director at rlward@acha.org.
“To address sexual violence prevention in a truly
comprehensive manner, strategies to prevent its
initial perpetration and victimization (primary
prevention) must reach the same level of efficacy
and adoption as programs that respond to its
consequences” (page 7).
Preventing Sexual Violence on Campus
•
•
•
•
•
Thus, a primary prevention approach to preventing sexual
violence requires a paradigm shift in the thinking of the campus
community. Primary prevention helps create environments that
promote respect, equality, civility, healthy relationships, and
healthy sexuality — and ultimately, a campus environment
where students are safe and learning successfully.
3
Identify social norms that support sexual violence
Strengthen sense of community
Target entire community
Link to alcohol campaigns
Use peer educators
Purpose of the Toolkit
T
he purpose of this toolkit — Shifting the Paradigm: Primary
Prevention of Sexual Violence — is to provide facts, ideas,
strategies, conversation starters, and resources to everyone on
campus who cares about the prevention of sexual violence.
Whether you are a faculty or staff member or an administrator
or student, there are resources included that are directly relevant
to your role in the campus community. Please take a moment to
look through these materials and decide how you can best
utilize this toolkit as an individual, in your center/office, department, or at the overall institution level. If you are tempted to
simply pass this toolkit off to the person or office that deals with
sexual assault, consider this — the only way to prevent sexual
violence and promote a culture of caring is for the entire
campus community to focus on this campus concern.
All American College Health Association (ACHA) members
have been sent this toolkit and we are asking that you disseminate this resource across your campus. You may either copy
all of it or portions of it or download it at www.acha.org/
SexualViolence. Likewise, you may choose to electronically send
the toolkit to key stakeholders at your institution. As you review
the toolkit, we ask that you consider:
✤ Distributing the handout “10 Ways Young Men Can Prevent
Sexual Violence” to male students and discussing these points
with them.
✤ Organizing a meeting of key leaders to discuss how to
disseminate (See “Key Partnerships in Sexual Violence
Prevention” and “Spread the Word”) and utilize the toolkit
for your campus community. Be sure to include representatives from the president/chancellor's office, faculty, health
center, counseling center, health promotion, women’s
center/studies, Panhellenic/Interfraternity Councils, athletics,
dean of students, student affairs, peer educators, and
other interested parties.
• How to promote a culture of caring and sexual ethics on
your campus
✤ Initiating or facilitating roundtable discussions, events,
trainings, and/or workshops on:
• How your campus can embrace the shifting paradigm
concept of primary prevention of sexual violence (See
“Sexual Violence Prevention”)
• How your campus can address the connection between
oppression and violence (See “Re-visioning the Sexual
Violence Continuum”)
• How to analyze your campus culture and the social norms
regarding alcohol, sexual behavior, and sexual violence
(See “Alcohol and Sexual Violence”)
• How your campus can address the specific needs of
international students, LGBT students, and cultural diversity
groups regarding this topic
• How to develop bystander intervention strategies (See
“Preventing Sexual Violence through Empowering Campus
Bystanders”)
• How to gain consent for all sexual activities and
encounters (See “Importance of Consent”)
• How to address gender roles, gender inequality, and male
peer support for sexual aggression
• How protective factors in your particular campus culture
can be strengthened
✤ Encouraging student organizations, fraternities, sororities,
campus activities, student government, and others to bring
in national speakers on sexual violence prevention.
✤ Encouraging your student health/counseling/health promotion staff to review this toolkit and discuss how to incorporate
the “Screening for Sexual Violence” tools into your interactions with students and “Opportunities for Prevention
Messages during Campus Health Visits.”
✤ Discussing the best strategy for enlisting buy-in and endorsement from the president or chancellor of your institution.
✤ Utilizing this toolkit in programming for Sexual Assault
Awareness Month (SAAM) each April.
✤ Distributing the ACHA Guidelines: Position Statement
on Preventing Sexual Violence on College and University
Campuses to all college health professionals and
other key people. Likewise, use the “Position Statement
Assessment Tool” to guide your campus efforts at
preventing sexual violence.
✤ Adapting any of the materials or tools to fit your unique
campus needs and change them to fit your campus culture
Lastly, talk about this issue! The health and academic success
of our students will only be enhanced once there is a commitment
to address sexual violence on campus. Good luck to you all.
4
APRIL 2007
ACHA GUIDELINES
Position Statement on Preventing Sexual
Violence on College and University Campuses
T
tural shift that moves beyond the mere prevention of violence
towards a community that adopts healthy and caring sexual
attitudes and practices. Faculty, staff, administrators, and
students must play key roles in the creation of a campus culture
that reflects civility, honor, respect, and nonviolence. This
campus/community culture shift conceptualizes sexual activity
as a choice and as consensual. Consensual sexual activity
involves the presence of the word “yes” without incapacitation
of alcohol or other drugs, pressure, force, threat, or intimidation. As this conversation moves from the shadows into the
public arena, individuals can learn skills necessary for consent
and intimate communication.
he American College Health Association (ACHA) recognizes
sexual violence as a serious campus and public health issue.
The ACHA Campus Violence White Paper documents current
research that reveals high rates of sexual violence on college
and university campuses and low levels of reporting of these
incidents by students. Healthy People 2010 identifies “injury”
and “violence” as a leading public health indicator. In recognition of this campus health concern, ACHA’s Healthy Campus
2010 developed health objectives that serve as a basis for
developing plans and programs to reduce sexual violence and
improve student health.
High levels of victimization, coupled with cultural acceptance of rape myths, create an environment where victimized
students are disempowered and alienated from their college
experiences. This environment has resulted in impediments to
academic success, lower graduation rates, health problems,
and persistent mental health issues. Students cannot learn in
an atmosphere where they do not feel safe. ACHA members
are uniquely positioned to play a leading role in sexual violence prevention and to create a culture of caring. College
campuses contain rich venues for educating students about
healthy sexuality and communication skills.
Engaging The Campus Community
Successful primary prevention of sexual violence requires
recognition of the problem at the highest levels of campus leadership. Likewise, policy development and accountability for all
policies that reflect intolerance for sexual violence across its
continuum — from sexist statements to sexual harassment to
sexual assault — should be enforced. Further, it is the responsibility of faculty, staff, and administrators to serve as mentors
and role models for students as well as to provide educative
opportunities for the primary prevention of sexual violence.
Efforts to prevent sexual violence should be multifaceted
and include but not be limited to such strategies as classroom
discussions, health promotion programs, media campaigns,
peer education, and discussions during student health and
counseling services visits. It is also critical to infuse messages
about healthy sexuality and sexual violence prevention into the
curriculum at all levels. Faculty in women’s studies, biology,
health sciences, religious studies, sociology, psychology, criminal justice, ethics, and other areas can be mobilized to share
research and establish critical thinking skills to assist students
in making healthy decisions that will decrease sexual violence.
A critical component of successful primary prevention of
sexual violence is its recognition as a public health issue that
involves both men and women. Encouraging the commitment of
men to serve as positive role models for other men to be intolerant of sexual violence is as fundamental to prevention of sexual
violence as are programs that provide continuous opportunities
that empower women to develop self-respect, self-esteem, and
Reframing the Issue
All levels of prevention are necessary to stop the occurrence
of sexual violence and to significantly improve the health status
of campus communities. True primary prevention is populationbased using environmental and system-level strategies, policies,
and actions that prevent sexual violence from initially occurring.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests
that sexual violence is conceptualized by risk and protective
factors on individual, relationship, community, and society levels.
Sexual violence prevention activities include those that are
aimed at addressing the domains of influence of potential victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. College health professionals
can facilitate conversations about sex that focus on individual
choices along the continuum of sexual activity. These conversations identify and popularize healthy sexuality that respects
gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
The creation of a living and learning environment free of
sexual violence is the ultimate goal. This vision requires a cul-
5
Position Statement on Preventing Sexual Violence on College and University Campuses
7.
assertiveness. Further, student groups that research has identified as high-risk for actions of sexual violence and vulnerable
populations at-risk for victimization should be addressed with
specific outreach efforts.
Alcohol use/abuse is implicated in the majority of incidents
of campus sexual assaults. Therefore, awareness initiatives
related to alcohol use/abuse and its relationship to sexual violence need to be consistent and comprehensive across policy,
education, and role modeling.
In addition, campus communities need to develop programs
on bystander intervention techniques. Bystander techniques are
skills that allow students, faculty, and staff to recognize the continuum of violence and empower them to intervene, prevent, or
stop inappropriate comments and actions. The goal is to create
a culture shift from bystander apathy to bystander intervention,
thus creating a culture in which violence cannot occur.
Recommended Actions
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
•
anonymous reporting
•
law enforcement involvement
•
judicial/disciplinary board actions
•
forensic/medical care
•
emergency contraception
•
academic/housing accommodations
•
follow-up counseling, support, and advocacy
8.
Integrate screening for sexual violence into patient history
protocols.
9.
Adhere to federal, state, and local statutes and reporting
requirements.
10. Integrate sexual violence prevention education into
curricular and non-curricular activities.
ACHA recommends the following actions be taken to
address policy, prevention, and intervention as it pertains
to sexual violence:
1.
Develop a coordinated, seamless, victim-centered response
service between campus and community resources that
offers the options of:
11. Offer residence hall and extra-curricular activities that
are alcohol free.
Develop a policy statement and directive from the president/chancellor of the institution that demonstrates
recognition of sexual violence as a problem, a commitment to reduce its occurrence, and action steps for the
campus community.
12. Develop educational/outreach programming that:
Develop a multidisciplinary taskforce on campus to
address sexual violence prevention and response services
that includes high-level campus administration, academic
leaders, student leaders, and community partnerships.
Create policies that reflect an expectation of civility, honor,
respect, and nonviolence for all members of the community
and encourage behaviors that build a sense of community.
Revise, enforce, and widely distribute disciplinary regulations in the student code that demonstrate an intolerance of
all forms of sexual violence and implement sanctions for
violations by faculty, staff, and students.
•
recognizes that sexual violence is a learned behavior
•
teaches bystander intervention techniques
•
addresses the role of consent in sexual relationships
•
encourages the involvement of men
•
addresses alcohol and other drugs issues and the
connection with sexual violence
•
provides concepts that encourage healthy, consensual
sexual relationships
•
addresses non-stranger sexual violence and dispels
traditional beliefs
13. Create and codify amnesty policies for underage drinking
for victims who report sexual assault.
14. Invest men in the prevention of sexual violence, including
those actions that dehumanize and objectify women.
Educate disciplinary boards on perpetrator patterns and
possible victim responses and patterns.
15. Publish and announce the availability of protocols on
campus websites for all campus members to access
resources, referrals, and helping strategies for victims of
sexual violence.
4/07
Provide comprehensive training on all aspects of sexual
violence for campus administrators; campus law enforcement; health and counseling services staff; faculty; staff;
and student leaders that includes the dynamics of sexual
violence, access to care, victim response, and federal/
state statutes.
NOTE: Use the Assessment Tool on page 21
to note your institution’s level of completion
of each of the Recommended Actions.
6
Sexual Violence Prevention
By David S. Lee, MPH, Lydia Guy, BA, and Brad Perry, MA
Research has identified risk factors for individual victimization, such as being female and having experienced past sexual
victimization. Risk factors for individual perpetration include
being male, having coercive sexual fantasies, hostility towards
women, a history of childhood sexual victimization, growing
up in an emotionally unsupportive family environment, and
adherence to societal norms supportive of sexual violence,
male superiority, and male sexual entitlement (Jewkes, Sen, &
Garcia-Moreno, 2002). However, little is currently known
about protective factors that may reduce vulnerability to victimization and risk for perpetration, or environmental factors that
may contribute to prevalence. Notwithstanding, promoting
protective factors and addressing negative social and environmental contributors are important components of a public
health approach to prevent sexual violence (NCIPC, 2006).
P
rimary prevention involves developing comprehensive strategies that stop violence before initial perpetration or victimization, especially those that make community and society level
changes. The best sexual violence prevention strategies combine
the socio-political analysis of the feminist anti-rape movement
and the systematic approach to promoting healthy behaviors
central to public health theory.
Prevention work focused on college-age students is an
important element to any comprehensive strategy to prevent
sexual violence. From a primary prevention perspective,
college-age men and women are at a developmental stage
where lifelong behaviors are shaped. Young men and women
are continuing to learn how to perform their socially influenced
gender roles, and how to act out their gender-based sexual
scripts. Appropriately timed prevention strategies can reduce
future sexual violence.
In this article, we will review the foundations of sexual
violence prevention work. Then we will explore the use of
education sessions to prevent sexual violence, and then
review more comprehensive strategies, such as community
mobilization, changing social norms, social marketing, and
policy work.
Preventing Sexual Violence Before It Occurs
Over the last 30 years, most anti-sexual violence efforts
have been responses after the sexual violence or efforts to promote awareness of sexual assault and resources available to
survivors of sexual violence. To address sexual violence prevention in a truly comprehensive manner, strategies to prevent its
initial perpetration and victimization (primary prevention) must
reach the same level of efficacy and adoption as programs
that respond to its consequences.
Public health theory also advises that sexual violence prevention efforts be specific to an intentional audience. Audiences
can also be categorized by their likely role in an act of sexual
violence: as potential victims of the violence (Rozee & Koss,
2001), as potential perpetrators of the violence (Clinton-Sherrod,
et al., 2003), or as potential bystanders who have an opportunity to prevent or intervene in the act (Banyard, Plante, &
Moynihan, 2004).
Foundations for Preventing Sexual Violence
The foundation of efforts for preventing sexual violence
come from both the feminist movement and from empirical data
from research on associated risk and protective factors. Feminist
theory understands rape as a cultural phenomenon requiring
interventions beyond the personal and interpersonal. It is the
foundation of the anti-rape movement (Rozee & Koss, 2001).
Feminist theory articulates sexual violence in the context of a
rape culture, a complex system of beliefs that encourages male
sexual aggression and supports violence against women
(Buchwald et al., 1993). Interpreting sexual violence as a foreseeable consequence of rape culture has a profound effect on
sexual violence prevention strategies. Sexual violence is seen
as a continuum of behaviors instead of an isolated, deviant
act. Feminist models of sexual violence hold that it is not
inevitable, and can be prevented by making changes to societal
norms surrounding sexuality, violence, gender, and oppression
(hooks, 1989).
Educational Sessions
Educational sessions are perhaps the most commonly recognized form of sexual violence prevention work, and there
are a wide variety of prevention curricula (see Morrison, et al.,
2004 for a review). The goal of primary prevention education
sessions is to prevent first-time perpetration or victimization
by improving knowledge and attitudes that correspond to the
origins of sexual violence (such as adherence to societal norms
supportive of sexual violence, male superiority, and male sexual
7
Sexual Violence Prevention
tion, values, customs, and institutions in ways that will significantly improve the quality of life in a community. Effective implementation of any community mobilization requires promoting
positive changes in community norms. The process of community
mobilization is as important as the output. “When people have
an opportunity to participate in decisions and shape strategies
that vitally affect them, they will develop a sense of ownership
in what they have determined, and commitment to seeing that
the decisions are sound and that the strategies are useful, effective and carried out” (Lofquist, 1996, p. 4). A leading example
of community mobilization is Washington State’s (Washington
State Office of Crime Victims Advocacy, 1997) adaption of
Lofquist’s Community Development framework (Lofquist, 1996)
to focus on the following key activities: define the parameters of
the community and engage key community members, facilitate
a process in which these key individuals define sexual violence
as it occurs in their community, develop a plan focused on
changing societal conditions, implement the community mobilization plan, and evaluate the effort.
entitlement), build skills for respectful interactions, and empower
participants to become agents of change. Primary sexual
violence prevention education commonly addresses attitudes
about sexual assault, the impact of gender roles, healthy
relationships, consent, conflict resolution, respecting personal
boundaries, and skill building for these topics (CDC, 2004).
Impacting individual knowledge and attitudes is more
effective as part of a broader comprehensive approach,
which also addresses how those attitudes interact with interpersonal influence, and the manner in which norms, policies,
and institutions shape the environment in which it all occurs.
Thus, single-session sexual violence awareness presentations
have limited opportunities to support young people to adopt
positive behaviors. Successful education programs augment
presentations with other activities.
Comprehensive Models
Comprehensive models such as the Ecological Model and
the Spectrum of Prevention (Davis, Parks, & Cohen, 2006) highlight the range of activities to build effective responses. The
Ecological Model explains the occurrence of sexual violence
and helps identify potential prevention strategies on four levels
(Heise, 1998): individual, relationship, community, and societal.
Individual level factors relate to a person’s knowledge, attitudes,
behavior, history, demographics, or biology. Risk factors such
as being male, displaying a pattern of denigrating women, and
adherence to beliefs that condone the use of violence and coercion are all addressed by strategies that operate on the individual level (Carr & VanDeusen, 2004; Jewkes, Sen, & GarciaMoreno, 2002). Relationship level strategies address the
influence of parents, siblings, peers, and intimate partners.
For example, young men who experience caring and connection from adults are less likely to perpetrate violence (Resnick,
Ireland, & Borowsky, 2004), while men with peers who encourage sexual coercion are at a heightened risk for perpetration
(Loh, et al., 2005). Community level strategies look at norms,
customs, or people’s experiences with local institutions, such as
schools, workplaces, places of worship, or criminal justice
agencies. Societal level strategies address broad social forces,
such as inequalities, oppressions, organized belief systems,
and relevant public policies (or lack thereof). Because factors
at one level are influenced by connected factors at other levels,
primary prevention strategies should seek to operate on multiple
levels of the social ecology simultaneously.
Changing Social Norms
The social norms approach suggests that peer pressure is
the primary influence on shaping people’s behavior. However,
many behaviors are influenced by incorrect perceptions of how
peers think and act. Based on research primarily conducted
with college-age populations, the social norms approach can be
applied to the prevention of sexual violence by correcting these
misperceptions of group norms to decrease problem behaviors
or increase healthy behaviors. According to Berkowitz, “a key
to effective [sexual violence] prevention is the fact that most
males are uncomfortable when we witness harassment and
other forms of violence, even when we don’t know how to
respond” (Berkowitz, 2003). While there may be some utility to
the notion that individuals behave in a sexually violent manner
because they mistakenly believe their peers are more accepting
of corresponding social norms, there are still situations in which
harmful social norms are perceived accurately and internalized
accordingly, for example, viewing heterosexual sexual interactions as a “game” in which men should try to “win” at the
“expense” of women (Loh, et al., 2005). In spite of the shortcomings of overly broad applications of the social norms approach,
the idea that some of these norms can be revealed to adolescents as both harmful and less accepted than previously thought
has led to some promising strategies. For example, there is a
cluster of adolescent sexual violence prevention initiatives that
expose young men to the pressures exerted upon them by traditional (and often violent) ideas about masculinity, show them
how to resist these pressures to find their own positive identities,
and build their skills as peer leaders to show others the link
between the norms these pressures create and sexual violence.
In short, these initiatives empower young people, particularly
young men, to shift the behaviors of their peers. “Men of
Strength Clubs” and “Mentors in Violence Prevention” bystander
programs (Lee & Lemmon, 2006; Katz, 1995) are examples of
such initiatives.
Community Level Prevention Strategies
In order to sustain long-term changes in individuals, communities must reinforce and support those changes. In the
next section, we will examine several comprehensive strategies: community mobilization, social norms approaches,
social marketing, and policy work.
Community Mobilization
Community mobilization is a participatory process focused
on changing community norms, basic patterns of social interac-
8
Sexual Violence Prevention
Social Marketing
References
Social marketing campaigns draw upon marketing research
and behavior change theory to develop strategies to shift
behaviors. Key components include orientating the campaign
toward a target audience, conducting formative research and
pre-testing of messages, developing strategies to address barriers and competition to adapting new behaviors, and using a
standard marketing mix (product, price, place, and promotion)
(Lefebre & Flora, 1988). California’s MyStrength Campaign
uses peer-to-peer contact to create new social norms reinforced
by a supportive school environment, paid advertising, and
earned media. The campaign theme “My Strength Is Not for
Hurting” repositions the concept of male strength to encourage,
motivate, and enable young men to take action to prevent
sexual violence (Lee & Lemmon, 2006).
Banyard, V.L., Plante, E.G., & Moynihan, M.M. (2004). Bystander education: Bringing a
broader community perspective to sexual violence prevention. Journal of Community Psychology,
32, 61-79.
Berkowitz, A. (2003). Young Men as Allies in Preventing Violence and Abuse — Building
Effective Partnerships with Schools, Family Violence Prevention Fund’s 2003 Online Discussion
Series: “Building Partnerships to End Men’s Violence” — Discussion 4, Retrieved November
2006, www.vawnet.org/DomesticViolence/PreventionAndEducation/Approaches/
SocialNorms.php
Buchwald, E. et. al. (1993). Transforming a Rape Culture. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions.
Carr, J.L., & VanDeusen, K.M. (2004). Risk factors for male sexual aggression on college
campuses. Journal of Family Violence, 19(5), 179-189.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2004). Sexual Violence Prevention: Beginning the
Dialogue, Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Clinton-Sherrod, M., Gibbs, D., Amy Vincus, A., Squire, S., Cignetti, C., Pettibone, K, & Igoe, J.
(2003). Report Describing Projects Designed to Prevent First-Time Male Perpetration of Sexual
Violence. Retreived from www.nsvrc.org/resources/docs/rti_report.pdf
Policy to Promote Primary Prevention
The implementation of education and social norms changing
activities, and other pieces of a comprehensive strategy against
sexual violence among youth, requires ongoing support from
key decision-makers in the community, and in state and federal
organizations. The Ecological Model places policy activities at
the societal level, influencing factors such as gender-equality
and social norms. Establishing polices that mandate university
staff respond to sexual harassment and changing advertising
practices that sexualize or objectify women are examples of
potential policies.
Davis, R. Parks, L. F., & Cohen, L. (2006). Sexual Violence and the Spectrum of Prevention,
Enola, PA: National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Dworkin, A. (1983). I Want a Twenty-Four-Hour Truce During Which There Is No Rape. In A.
Dworkin (1989) Letters From a War Zone: Writings 1976-87. New York: E. P. Dutton. Retrieved
November 2006 from www.nostatusquo.com/ACLU/dworkin/WarZoneChaptIIIE.html
Heise, L. (1998). Violence against women: An integrated, ecological framework. Violence
Against Women, 4(3), 262-290.
hooks, b. (1989) Talking back: thinking feminist, thinking black. Boston, MA: South End Press.
Jewkes, R., Sen, P., & Garcia-Moreno, C. (2002). Sexual violence. In E. G. Krug, L.L. Dahlberg,
J.A. Mercy, A.B. Zwi & R. Lozano (Eds.), World Report on Violence and Health (pp. 147-181).
Geneva: World Health Organization.
The Future of Sexual Violence Prevention
Whether or not we see a future decrease in the prevalence
of sexual violence will hinge on how effective today’s efforts
are with adolescents. By engaging young people to be part of
the solution, a new generation of leaders will be empowered
to further prevention efforts.
Sexual violence prevention efforts are in the midst of a transition from creating awareness of sexual violence to advancing
comprehensive primary prevention strategies for community
change. Since sexual violence is a cultural issue, solutions must
go beyond stopping sexual violence, and should promote
behaviors and cultural norms that are healthy, such as egalitarian gender roles, gender equity, healthy relationships, and
healthy sexuality. Both women and men must be engaged in this
effort to create the day when sexual violence no longer exists so
that we can, “… begin the real practice of equality, and then,
instead of rape we will for the first time in our lives — both men
and women — begin to experience freedom” (Dworkin, 1983).
Katz, J. (1995) Reconstructing masculinity in the locker room: The Mentors in Violence
Prevention Project. Harvard Educational Review, Vol. 65, No. 2.
Lee, D.S., & Lemmon, P. (November 2006). MyStrength: California’s social marketing campaign
to engage young men to prevent sexual violence Poster session presented at the annual meeting
of the American Public Health Association, Boston, MA.
Lefebre R.C., & Flora, J. A. (1988). Social Marketing and Public Health. Health Education
Quarterly Vol. 15 (3), 299-315.
Lofquist, W. (1996). Technology of Development. Development Publications.
Loh, C., Gidycz, C.A., Lobo, T.R., & Luthra, R. (2005). A prospective analysis of sexual assault
perpetration: Risk factors related to perpetrator characteristics. Journal of Interpersonal Violence,
20, 1325-1348.
Morrison, S., Hardison, J., Mathew, A., & O’Neil, J. (September 2004). An Evidence-Based
Review of Sexual Assault Preventive Intervention Programs. Retrieved on November 30, 2006
from www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/207262.pdf
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2006, September 7). Sexual Violence:
Fact sheet. Retrieved November, 2006, from www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/svfacts.htm
David S. Lee, MPH, is Prevention Director at the California
Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Lydia Guy, BA, is Prevention
Services Director for the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault
Programs. Brad Perry, MA, is the Sexual Violence Prevention
Coordinator at the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence
Action Alliance.
This article has been adapted from D. S. Lee, L. Guy, B. Perry,
C. K. Sniffen, S. A. Mixson, (2007) Sexual Violence Prevention,
The Prevention Researcher, Volume 14(2), pp. 15-20.
Resnick, M.D., Ireland, M., & Borowsky, I. (2004). Youth violence perpetration: What protects?
What predicts? Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Journal of
Adolescent Health, 35, 424-433.
Rozee, P.D., & Koss, M. P. (2001). Rape: A century of resistance, Psychology of Women
Quarterly, 25, 295-311.
Washington State Office of Crime Victims Advocacy, (August 1997). Sexual Assault Prevention
Plan for Washington State. Office of Crime Victims Advocacy, Department of Community,
Trade and Economic Development and Washington State Department of Health, The Evergreen
State College.
9
Re-visioning the Sexual Violence Continuum
By Lydia Guy, BA
ranges from sexual remarks to sexual touching to rape
itself. A rape culture condones physical and emotional
terrorism against women as the norm. In a rape culture,
both men and women assume that sexual violence is a
fact of life, inevitable as death or taxes. This violence,
however, is neither biologically nor divinely ordained.
Much of what we accept as inevitable is in fact the
expression of values and attitudes that can change.”
R
ape as a cultural phenomenon, or stated more simply, rape
as a predictable consequence of the power differential
between men and women has been a topic of discussion since
the creation of the first rape crisis centers. Academics tended
to use terms like patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism, and those
words became integral parts of the lexicon used by the women
who became the founding mothers of our current sexual assault
service delivery system. The basic premise of this concept is
that rape does not happen just because one individual chooses
to rape another. Rape happens because there are attitudes and
norms that allow it to happen.
Buchwald, E. et. al. (1993) Transforming a Rape Culture. Minneapolis,
MN: Milkweed Editions.
The continuum was designed as a visual aid to illustrate the
concept of rape culture. The objective was to provide a simple
way to describe a complex phenomenon. The interesting thing
about portraying something as a picture is that even though we
draw the picture to represent how we see the issue, how we
see the issue is affected by our experience of looking at the
picture. In most visual conceptualizations the image not only
reflects our belief system but also shapes our belief system. This
is one of the things that make them so profound, and the main
reason I choose to re-envision the sexual violence continuum.
There are many depictions of the sexual violence continuum.
The most common shapes have been straight lines, spirals, and
circles. They all have a key factor in common: they depict sexual violence as a range or succession of related behaviors. Some
sexual violence continua list individual acts of sexually violating behaviors, while others tend toward less tangible items
such as norms or attitudes. Some depictions are very careful not to present sexual violence as a progression from
“minor” to “extreme;” this is usually done to respect the
fact that we cannot quantify the experiences of survivors.
As I reviewed different sexual violence continua, I
noticed another thing they all had in common: they
all had strong linkages between sexism and sexual
violence, the base underlying assumption that sexual
violence is the inevitable result of sexism.
The assumption that sexism and sexual violence
are inextricably linked together seemed reasonable at
first glance. The current depictions seem to imply that
we can end sexual violence by ending sexism alone. It
has been my belief that it is impossible to end a single
oppression; to work to end one oppression requires us to
work to end them all. It was then I realized my critique
wasn’t just about the continuum but about rape culture and
feminist theory as a whole. I decided to try to create a more
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“WHAT IS RAPE CULTURE? It is a complex of beliefs that
encourages male sexual aggression and supports violence
against women. It occurs in a society where violence is
seen as sexy and sexuality as violent. In a rape culture,
women perceive a continuum of threatened violence that
10
holistic depiction. My hope is that by providing a visual
conception of the continuum that is more inclusive (of class,
race, disability status, sexual orientation, and anti-Semitism,
in addition to gender) that it will remind and inspire us to
develop a vision of comprehensive sexual violence prevention
work that routinely encompasses all forms of oppression.
This version of the sexual violence continuum depicts a range
of sexually violating behaviors in overlapping circles as grey
circles on a grey background. The background is meant to represent society. The outer ring of the society circle includes the
word “Norms” — representing the reinforcing nature of norms.
In the center is the word “Oppression,” and overlapping white
circles listing six specific forms of oppression. This is meant to
convey the idea that all forms of oppression are linked and are
often experienced in conjunction with one another. In the animated version, the grey circles rearrange themselves into a nonordered overlapping pattern which attempts to express the fact
that sexual violence is very rarely experienced as a discreet
event and one’s experience of sexual violence is impacted by
one’s experience of oppression.
My goal was to create a continuum that clearly shows
the connection between all forms of oppression and violence.
One way to show a connection would be to make continua
depicting different types of violence, for instance the “The Racist
Violence Continuum” and “The Heterosexist/Homophobic
Violence Continuum.” Each continuum would have a similar
range of behaviors but would be related to the specific type of
violence. However, the center of the circle would remain the
same. If we were to place several of the continua on top of
one another it would show all forms of violence as a result of
oppression and all forms of oppression contributing to all types
of violence. Given this framework, we may choose to focus on
one type of anti-violence work but understand the interconnectedness of the oppressions. Creating and utilizing frameworks
that incorporate our knowledge, philosophy, and experience is
one way to help ensure the creation of innovative and relevant
programming.
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND
FOR YOUR INSTITUTION?
Highlights from the Spring 2007
ACHA Preventing Sexual Violence Survey
(297 responses)
To what extent do you think your institution is
effective in addressing the problem of sexual
violence?
11.8% Very effective
61.1% Somewhat effective
8.1%
Unsure
15.5% Somewhat ineffective
3.4%
Not at all effective
Does your institution have a policy or a set of
procedures addressing sexual violence published on your campus website or in printed
materials?
82.4% Yes
4.7%
No
12.9% Unsure
Does your campus have a sexual assault/
violence prevention task force/committee?
61.2% Yes
26.5% No
12.2% Unsure
To what extent do you think your institution
is engaged in primary prevention of sexual
violence?
22.0% Very engaged
Lydia Guy, BA, is Prevention Services Director for the
Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs.
53.7% Somewhat engaged
5.4%
This article has been adapted from L.Guy, (Fall 2006)
Re-Visioning the Sexual Violence Continuum, Partners in
Social Change, pp. 4-7.
Unsure
16.9% A little engaged
2.0%
11
Not at all engaged
Do your waiting areas, offices, and exam rooms let students
know that you are willing to listen and talk about sexual
violence? It is suggested that you put up posters and distribute
educational materials that lets students know they are in a
“safe” place.
Screening for Sexual Violence
C
✤ Use non-threatening, inclusive language and questions when
obtaining patient information
urrent research demonstrates that the majority of completed
and attempted sexual assaults go unreported to law
enforcement. However, survivors of sexual violence often seek
health/wellness services secondary to an incident but only
reveal the experience to an individual if asked at the time of
the visit. Therefore, college health professionals have a significant opportunity to open the door to care for sexual assault
victims and integrate primary prevention strategies to reduce
the incidence of sexual violence.
✤ Develop patient teaching methodology that addresses
vulnerability and risk reduction
✤ Develop patient teaching methodology that includes healthy
relationships
✤ Seek training to heighten awareness of options, rights, and
referral resources for campus victims
The topic of sexual violence is a difficult one for discussion.
The following are suggested questions that can be used on
intake forms or asked in a direct and non-judgmental way:
The following suggestions are primary prevention strategies
for use within the college health setting:
✤ Integration of screening questions for sexual violence into
all patient history forms
✤ Has someone ever touched you in a sexual manner against
your will or without your consent?
✤ Use written assessment tools to measure vulnerability and risk
behaviors for sexual violence including alcohol/drug use
✤ Have you ever been forced or pressured to have sex?
✤ Have you ever recognized you had “unwanted” sex while
drunk or using drugs?
✤ Within the past year, have you ever felt fearful of your
partner because of verbal or physical threats?
Opportunities for Prevention Messages
during Campus Health Visits
✤ Do you feel that you have control over your sexual
relationships and your partner will respect your wishes
if you say no to specific sexual activities?
✤ Is your visit today due to an experience you did not want to
happen?
All student visits should be inclusive of sexual
violence screening, but especially during:
The suggestions provided can offer a wealth of information
from students and allow college health professionals to evaluate,
educate, treat as appropriate, and refer for further services.
✤ STI testing
✤ Gynecology exams
✤ Pregnancy testing
SURVEY RESULTS . . .
✤ Emergency contraception requests
✤ Birth control requests
Does your student health service integrate
questions regarding sexual violence into your
general patient history or intake forms?
✤ Health education visits
✤ Mental health referrals/visits
✤ Alcohol/other drug related visits
36.5% Yes
✤ Immunizations
42.9% No
✤ Sports physicals
20.6% Unsure
✤ Triage
ACHA Spring 2007 Preventing Sexual Violence Survey
12
Is your campus encouraging an environment that supports
in every way the comprehensive and consistent message
of prevention of sexual violence? If not, ask what needs to
change, and how you can elicit that change. If yes, how
can you spread the word to other campuses?
Spread the Word about
Preventing Sexual Violence (PSV)
C
Providing information about PSV to athletic teams (including
coaches and athletic trainers), Greeks, women’s center
or interest groups, religious groups, LGBT students, and
cultural diversity groups will spread the word about the
importance of primary prevention. These opportunities are
also unique ways to recruit peer educators and leaders in
bystander intervention programs.
ollege health professionals have a very powerful and
unique opportunity to educate students who come to their
offices about how to prevent sexual violence through primary
prevention. The goal of this toolkit is to reach as many
students as possible about this important topic. However, not
all students will come to your office during the school year.
Therefore, the following are recommendations for spreading
the word through different avenues on campus and in the
community.
Academic Departments
✤
New Student Orientation
✤
New students always receive welcome materials, information, and resources when they start their first year. Take the
opportunity to include PSV information in their welcome
packs to make sure that every student knows the facts about
sexual violence and where to receive additional information
and/or support on campus. Consider sending an email to
all entering students about the resources on campus.
Campus Radio Stations
Residence Hall Programs
✤
✤
Reach out to residence hall staff, including resident assistants, to ensure that they are educated and well-informed
about PSV and the specific resources on campus and in
the local community. Offer to be a guest speaker and/or
resource for issues around sexual violence prevention.
Sorority and Fraternity Housing
✤
✤
If your campus has a Greek system, meet the Interfraternity
and Panhellenic Council leaders. They are the gatekeepers
to all Greek students on campus. Offer the toolkit as a
resource to be shared among leaders and Greek houses.
If your campus has a radio and/or closed circuit TV station,
an excellent way to share news about PSV on campus with
students is through public service announcements (PSAs).
Stations are required to air a certain number of PSAs each
week. Create and send a PSA to your campus station and
request that it be aired — it likely will be heard/seen many
times over the course of a year. An interview with a Sexual
Assault Response Team (SART) member or student advocate
would provide a strong message of prevention.
Reaching Parents
✤
Sororities and fraternities typically schedule many events for
their members during the academic year. Offer to present
or facilitate a program around primary prevention of sexual
violence. The “10 Ways Young Men Can Prevent Sexual
Violence” on page 14 is particularly relevant to fraternities.
Enlist Greeks in peer education and/or invite individual
houses to play a significant part of primary prevention on
campus.
Share prevention of sexual violence resources on campus
and in this toolkit with parents. This communication can
include emails, direct mail, or through Alumni offices.
Community Groups
✤
Organizations, Clubs, and Teams on Campus
✤
Contact faculty who teach courses related to sexuality
and relationships. They may teach courses in women’s
studies, psychology, sociology, health and wellness, medicine, social work, counseling, etc. This toolkit could be
used in class projects, research, and for class discussions.
Offer to guest lecture in classes when faculty need to cancel
class. Ask your institution’s faculty senate/union to send
an email to all faculty about the availability of the toolkit
and presentations on SVP.
Reaching out to clubs, organizations, and teams on campus
is a unique way to reach high-risk target groups of students.
13
Community groups are a well-known resource for young
people seeking information or services regarding sexual
health and sexual violence. We suggest contacting your
county government offices, health departments, community
clinics, local police departments, and other relevant groups
to let them know the resources on campus for students in
need. Share this toolkit with any partner community organization, coalition, or collaborative partner.
10 Ways Young Men Can Prevent Sexual Violence
Most guys don’t commit rape, but every guy can play a vital role in ending sexual and dating violence.
Read the list below and learn what you and your friends can do every day. It can be something small or
something large. Whatever you do, you’re making a difference. Don’t stand on the sidelines.
Be Bold, Be Strong, Take Action!
1
2
3
4
5
Define Your Own Manhood
Consider whether messages about manhood like
“don’t take no for an answer” play a role in creating
unhealthy and unsafe relationship. Choose what
kind of man you want to be. Be a positive role model.
Talk It Over
Better communication in sexual situations — listening
to the other person, stating desires clearly, and asking
when a situation is unclear — will make relationships
safer and healthier. Create a space to enthusiastically
say yes.
Understand the Ability to Consent
Drugs and alcohol can affect people’s ability to
decide whether they want to be sexual with someone.
If a person is “really out of it” and can’t give consent,
wait until you both are ready to enthusiastically
say yes.
Get a Woman’s Perspective
Ask women how the fear of rape affects their daily
lives and whether they know someone who has
been raped. Listen and learn from them about the
impact of rape and how to stop it.
Ask Guys
Ask men how it would feel to be seen as a potential
rapist and how they would feel if a woman or girl
in their life was sexually assaulted. Learn about the
ways sexual violence touches the lives of men.
6
7
8
9
10
Be Aware of Pop Culture’s Messages
We are surrounded daily by TV shows, music, magazines, video games, and movies that communicate
messages about masculinity and relationships. Don’t
let images in popular culture dictate your behavior.
Choose Words Carefully
When you use words to put women down, you
support the belief that they are less than fully
human. It is easier to ignore women’s well-being
when they are seen as inferior. Choose language
that respects women.
Speak Out
You probably will never see a rape in progress,
but you will hear attitudes and see behaviors that
degrade women and promote a culture of violence.
When your friend tells a joke about rape, say you
don’t find it funny. Use your voice.
Get Involved
Join a student group working to prevent violence
against women. Or, if there isn’t a student group,
start your own. Men’s anti-rape groups are becoming
more and more common on college campuses.
Make a difference.
Show Your Strength
Don’t ever have sex with anyone against their will.
Make a pledge to be a man whose strength is used
for respect, not for hurting.
14
© 2006 Men Can Stop Rape
Reprinted with permission.
www.mencanstoprape.com
Before you have sex, ask yourself...
Have I expressed what I want? Do I know what my partner
wants? Am I certain that consent has been given? Is my
potential partner sober enough to decide whether or not to
have sex? Am I sober enough to know that I’ve correctly
gauged consent?
The Importance of Consent
✤
Consent for any sexual activity is the centerpiece for preventing sexual coercion and unwanted sexual behavior. Consent
can and should be incorporated as an essential and fun part
of sexual communication. Likewise, it is a vital component of
mutual pleasure and healthy sexuality.
A simple Internet search will produce many campus “Consent
is Sexy” campaigns. ACHA would like to thank the University
of Georgia University Health Center’s Health Promotion
Department (www.uhs.uga.edu/consent/index.html) and
Columbia University Health Service’s Sexual Violence Prevention
and Response Program (www.health.columbia.edu/docs/
services/svprp/consent.html) for their permission to reprint
many of their materials used on this page.
We encourage you to share these resources with peer
educators, student leaders, etc., and encourage them to be
creative with “Consent is Sexy.” Remember these materials
can be downloaded at www.acha.org/SexualViolence and
then tailored for your campus environment.
✤
✤
✤
✤
Why is consent important?
✤
✤
✤
✤
✤
What is consent?
✤
✤
✤
Consent is never implied and cannot be assumed, even
in the context of a relationship. Just because you are in a
relationship does not mean that you have permission to
have sex with your partner.
A person who is intoxicated cannot legally give consent.
If you’re too drunk to make decisions and communicate
with your partner, you’re too drunk to consent.
The absence of a “no” doesn’t mean “yes.”
Both people should be involved in the decision to have sex.
It is not sexy to have sex without consent!
Consent is a voluntary, sober, enthusiastic, creative,
wanted, informed, mutual, honest, and verbal agreement.
Consent is an active agreement; Consent cannot be
coerced.
Consent is a process, which must be asked for every step
of the way; if you want to move to the next level of sexual
intimacy, just ask.
✤
Communication, respect, and honesty make sex and
relationships better.
Asking for and obtaining consent shows that you have
respect for both yourself and your partner.
Positive views on sex and sexuality are empowering.
It questions traditional views about gender and sexuality.
It eliminates the entitlement that one partner feels over
the other. Neither your body nor your sexuality belongs
to someone else.
It is normal and healthy for women to expect to be
included in the consent process.
ASKING FOR CONSENT
Show your partner that you respect her/him enough to ask
about her/his sexual needs and desires. If you are not accustomed to communicating with your partner about sex and sexual
activity, the first few times may feel awkward. But, practice
makes perfect. Be creative and spontaneous. Don’t give up.
The more times you have these conversations with your partner,
the more comfortable you will become communicating about
sex and sexual activity. Your partner may also find the situation
awkward at first, but over time you will both be more secure in
yourselves and your relationship.
When? Before you act. It is the responsibility of the person
initiating a sex act to obtain clear consent. Whenever you
are unsure if consent has been given, ask. Check-in throughout. Giving consent ahead of time does not waive a person’s
right to change their mind or say no later.
How? Consent is not just about getting a yes or no answer,
but about understanding what a partner is feeling. Ask openended questions. Listen to and respect your partner’s response,
whether you hear yes or no: “I’d really like to. . . how does that
sound?” “How does this feel?” “What would you like to do?”
Gauging Consent
Red: Signs You Should Stop
You are too intoxicated to gauge or give consent.
Your partner is asleep or passed out.
You hope you partner will say nothing and go with the flow.
You intend to have sex by any means necessary.
Yellow: Signs You Should Pause and Talk
You are not sure what the other person wants.
You feel like you are getting mixed signals.
You have not talked about what you want to do.
You assume that you will do the same thing as before.
Your partner stops or is not responsive.
Green: Keep Communicating
Partners come to a mutual decision about how far to go.
Partners clearly express their comfort with the situation.
You feel comfortable and safe stopping at any time.
Partners are excited!
15
Preventing Sexual Violence through Empowering
Campus Bystanders
By Joetta L. Carr, PhD
We have all observed inappropriate sexual encounters that
alarm us, make us uncomfortable, or cause embarrassment or
humiliation. These behaviors may occur in class, in corridors,
at sports events, parties, at fraternity or sorority houses, at
the health center, student union, school events, and bars. As
bystanders to inappropriate sexual behavior, we not only
have opportunities to intervene, we have a shared responsibility
to prevent harm, foster a sense of community, and create a
culture of caring at our institutions.
This approach draws from ally development programs
where campus men are engaged as social justice allies to
end violence against women (Fabiano, Perkins, Berkowitz,
Linkenbach, & Stark, 2003).
Research by Berkowitz (2002) suggests that college males
underestimate their peers’ discomfort with sexist behavior.
Correcting this misperception may result in men’s greater willingness to challenge inappropriate peer behavior and speak out
against rape-supportive attitudes and behavior. Interpreting sexist
behavior as a problem is a step toward feeling responsible for
intervening and possessing the necessary skills to act.
Banyard, Moynihan, and Plante (2007) have developed
a bystander intervention program at the University of New
Hampshire using a community of responsibility model.
This approach goes beyond the individual level (with a focus
only on men) to community levels of change. Goals of this
program include:
A
promising approach to preventing interpersonal violence
is to teach and encourage bystanders to intervene with
peers and support potential or actual victims. A “bystander”
is a friend, classmate, teammate, coworker, teacher, family
member, or stranger who is aware of or observes situations
and interactions that could lead to sexual harassment, intimidation, coercion, or assault. The goals of bystander intervention programs are to increase awareness and understanding
of the problem, increase feelings of responsibility to solve this
problem, increase commitment to act, and to empower people
to act both individually and collectively (McGann, 2005). By
fostering a sense of caring and community, campus cultures
can be transformed and become safer.
Instead of focusing on young men as perpetrators or
potential perpetrators, this model views men as allies who
have critical and unique roles in sexual violence prevention.
By reducing defensiveness, messages can be heard and
collaboration cultivated.
“Men have powerful influences on male peers and can
learn how to use their persuasive abilities in healthy ways”
(Kilmartin, 2001, p. 6). “When men understand that the
bystander role is not neutral, that hypermasculinity and sexism
are toxic, and that they have an important influence on their
peers, they can begin to accept responsibility for their behavior
within the social group” (p. 45).
Instead of focusing on young women as victims or potential
targets, this approach teaches young women how to safely
intervene and interrupt abusive and potentially risky scenarios.
In fact, everyone in the campus community has a role to play,
including professors, administrators, healthcare professionals,
student leaders, graduate assistants, clerical staff, etc.
Student behavior is greatly determined by prevailing cultural
and social norms governing sexual attitudes and behaviors in
society. It is important to understand college sexual violence
within the context of social relations. Contrary to the myth of
the stranger rape, friends and acquaintances commit between
80 and 90% of the sexual assaults against women on college
campuses. Research findings suggest that only a minority of
male students on campus commit the vast majority of sexual
violence on campus, are undetected, and are repeat offenders
(Lisak & Miller, 2002). A campus culture that accepts and
tolerates less severe sexual misbehavior by many more students
contributes to sexual aggression at all levels.
✤ Create new situational norms for intervention
✤ Provide role models of helping behavior
✤ Build a repertoire of specific skills for bystanders
✤ Foster bystander’s sense of responsibility for intervening
✤ Develop sense of competence and identify situations
for intervening
Bystander Intervention Key Components
• Role modeling is crucial
• Entire campus community has a stake (see “Key
Partnerships in Sexual Violence Prevention” on page 18)
• Support bystander intervention on campus
• Teach skills to intervene
• Obtain commitment to intervene
• Teach how to interrupt a possible sexual assault
• Reduce defensiveness to the message
16
SURVEY RESULTS . . .
How familiar are you with Bystander Intervention
techniques to address prevention of sexual
violence?
12.2% Very familiar
25.7% Somewhat familiar
11.1% Unsure
12.8% Less familiar
38.2% Not familiar at all
ACHA Spring 2007 Preventing Sexual Violence Survey
Plante, Banyard, Moynihan, and Eckstein (2007) have developed “Bringing in the Bystander — Establishing a Community
of Responsibility” workshops and a facilitator’s guide regarding
sexual violence prevention. There are three components to this
training: 1) Educational, 2) Motivational, and 3) Skill Building.
Using active learning approaches and peer educators, this
program targets attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors designed
to increase bystander efficacy and willingness to intervene.
Katz (n.d.) has developed a prosocial bystander model to
prevent violence called “Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP).”
The MVP model has been utilized in numerous educational
settings and the playbooks and trainer’s guides are customized
for diverse student bodies. The training consists of role-plays
in which students identify and practice numerous options in
response to incidents of harassment, abuse, and violence
before, during, and after the event. It challenges students against
passivity, silence, and complicity in the face of abusive behaviors. The MVP workshops discuss provocative questions such as:
Workshops and training sessions for all of the programs
described above are usually conducted in single gender groups
with male and female trainers who are preferably peers of the
group. For example, a football team would be trained by a
former or current athlete or coach who understands sports
culture, the pressures on young athletes, peer support for
sexual conquests, etc. One-session workshops are less ideal
than multiple sessions where bystander interventions can be
practiced and discussed and troubleshooting can occur.
The formats focus on interactive, lively discussions using
scenarios that are based on real-life experiences. Students
may enjoy developing scenarios that are typical at their school.
Examples include observing a student being targeted through
the use of alcohol or date-rape drugs, conversations where
women are denigrated sexually, observing a passed out student
being carried upstairs to a bedroom, or seeing sexually explicit
photos of classmates on student Internet sites.
A number of institutions have augmented bystander training
programs with media campaigns to change campus norms
and achieve a more comprehensive prevention package.
Media campaigns focus on community-wide prevention and
are designed to educate and elicit behavior change. Potter,
Stapleton, and Moynihan (in press) and Potter, Moynihan,
Stapleton, and Banyard (in press) have developed and evaluated a poster campaign designed to empower bystanders
with the tag line “Know Your Power. Step In, Speak Up. You
Can Make a Difference.”
The University of Kentucky violence prevention model targets
“popular” students across social groups for bystander training
(D. Edwards, personal communication, 2007). Using social
diffusion theory, this model identifies popular opinion leaders
who may be more effective in shifting the campus norms from
passive bystanders to active intervention. To create a sense
of immediacy and personal ownership, they conduct empathy
exercises using violence data specific to their campus, emotionally evocative segments from monologues created by students
based on their personal experiences with sexual violence, and
sharing in small groups. They target student leaders from each
year for training and 15% of first-year students to create a
“critical mass” with enough momentum to create a tipping
point to shift campus norms.
✤ How do cultural definitions of manhood contribute to
sexual violence and sexist behaviors?
✤ How do cultural definitions of womanhood contribute
to women’s victimization or to their resistance?
✤ Why do many young men remain silent when their
peers behave badly and how is the silence of peers
understood by abusers?
✤ What message is conveyed when the abuser’s friends
don’t confront him?
✤ Why do some heterosexually identified men harass
and beat up gay men?
Men Can Stop Rape’s “Men of Strength” program includes
a college campus affiliate component based on the bystander
approach. The goal is to create a national network of support
on college campuses. “My Strength Is Not for Hurting” posters
illustrate bystander media projects and are used by many campuses (P. McCann, personal communication, October 2007).
Preliminary research to evaluate the effectiveness of the
“Men of Strength” program by Men Can Stop Rape, the
University of New Hampshire program, and the Mentors in
Violence Prevention program indicates that students and others
can increase their awareness of sexual violence, learn how to
recognize and identify inappropriate sexual behaviors, develop
skills to intervene safely, and make a commitment to intervene.
17
KEY PARTNERSHIPS IN SEXUAL
VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Preventing Sexual Violence Through Empowering Campus Bystanders
Bystander interventions include a full range of options
and levels of action, from speaking to a resident assistant
about an encounter in a residence hall to calling the police.
Interventions can occur with friends, acquaintances, and
strangers, such as bartenders, designated drivers, professors,
hotline staff, counselors, roommates, and others. Some interventions are best done by a group of friends and others are
more effective in private, side conversations. Staying safe is
always emphasized and balanced with keeping others safe.
When people feel seriously threatened, authorities such as
campus police should be called.
There are many reasons people do not intervene. They
may not see the problem, do not know what to do, choose to
mind their business, or feel out of their comfort zone. People
must overcome many fears such as getting hurt, losing a
friend, creating conflict, breaking a code of silence, embarrassment, or making someone angry. These obstacles to intervening should be discussed openly and pros and cons of
intervening in various situations should be flushed out by the
trainers. The moral imperative of intervening can be emphasized, as well as the benefits to the entire community. Students
cannot learn well in an atmosphere of sexual intimidation.
Therefore, the entire campus community must grapple with
the questions — how can we change the campus culture that
gives rise to, promotes, creates the conditions for, condones,
or ignores sexual violence on campus? How can we create a
culture of caring where we do not allow humiliating, insulting,
and harmful sexual attitudes and behaviors to flourish?
Campus Administrators
1. Create a Presidential Task Force on Campus Violence.
2. Establish an institutional Position Statement on Preventing
Sexual Violence.
3. Acknowledge institutional commitment to reduce sexual
violence through press releases to campus community,
community-at-large, alumni, and parents.
4. Mandate sexual violence prevention programming for all
students.
5. Mandate the establishment of a coordinated, comprehensive, victim-centered response system for sexual violence
incidents.
6. Revise Student's Code of Conduct and faculty/employee
policies to demonstrate intolerance to sexual violence at
any level.
7. Maintain compliance with federal and state regulations.
8. Support funding for prevention initiatives and bystander
intervention programs.
9. Demonstrate mentorship to all campus constituencies for
effective collaboration.
10. Participate in campus activities and programming to
prevent sexual violence.
Academic Affairs
1. Educate students on primary prevention of all levels of
sexual violence through curriculum infusion.
Joetta L. Carr, PhD is a professor at Western Michigan
University.
2. Seek classroom opportunities to participate in campus
programming and prevention activities.
References
Banyard, V.L., Moynihan, M.M., & Plante, E.G. (2007). Sexual violence prevention through bystander
education: An experimental evaluation. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(4), 463-481.
Berkowitz, A.D. (2002). Fostering men’s responsibility for preventing sexual assault. In P.A. Schewe
(Ed.), Preventing violence in relationships: Interventions across the lifespan (pp. 163-196).
Washington, DC: APA.
Fabiano, P.M., Perkins, H.W., Berkowitz, A.D., Linkenbach, J., & Stark, C. (2003). Engaging men as
social justice allies in ending violence against women: Evidence for a social norms approach. Journal
of American College Health, 5(3), 105-112.
Katz, J. (n.d.). Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP): Gender violence prevention education and
training. Retrieved 2007 from http://www.jacksonkatz.com/mvp.html.
Kilmartin, C. (2001). Sexual assault in context: Teaching college men about gender. Holmes Beach,
FL: Learning Publications.
Lisak, D. & Miller, P.M. (2002). Repeat rape and multiple offending among undetected rapists.
Violence and Victims. 17, 73-84.
McGann, P. (2005). The effectiveness of Men of Strength Clubs. Presentation at the National Sexual
Assault Conference, Pittsburg, PA. [www.mencanstoprape.org]
Plante, E.G., Banyard, V.L., Moynihan, M.M., & Eckstein, R.P. (2007). Facilitator's Guide: Bringing in
the bystander. A prevention workshop for establishing a community of responsibility. [Contact
Victoria Banyard (Victoria.Banyard@unh.edu) or Mary Moynihan (marym@unh.edu) for a copy of
the Facilitator's Guide]
Potter, S.J., Moynihan, M.M., Stapleton, J.G., & Banyard, V.L. (in press). Empowering bystanders to
prevent campus violence against women: A preliminary evaluation of a poster campaign. Violence
Against Women.
Potter, S.J., Stapleton, J.G., & Moynihan, M.M. (in press). Designing, implementing, and evaluating a
media campaign illustrating the bystander role. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community.
3. Participate in training to understand how to assist victims
of sexual violence.
4. Serve as mentors and role models to encourage a culture
of caring.
Student Affairs
1. Develop programming for all campus groups such as
incoming students, transfer students, international
students, athletic teams, and Greek organizations.
2. Serve as mentors and role models to students to encourage behavioral change and support a culture of civility
and respect.
3. Participate in training to understand how to assist victims
of sexual violence.
Community
1. Encourage/invite community groups to participate in
campus trainings to understand the culture and dynamics
of campus life.
2. Develop strategies for collaboration in sexual violence
prevention initiatives.
3. Create partnerships for a coordinated, comprehensive,
victim-centered response to sexual violence incidents.
18
SURVEY RESULTS . . .
The use of alcohol by students is the primary
reason for the majority of sexual assaults on
campus.
Alcohol and
Sexual Violence
20.2% Strongly agree
48.8% Agree
11.1% Unsure
15.2% Disagree
4.7% Strongly disagree
ACHA Spring 2007 Preventing Sexual Violence Survey
A
pproximately 50-70% of all sexual assaults involve alcohol.
The relationship between alcohol and sexual violence is
multifaceted and involves different pathways. Alcohol can lower
inhibitions, impair judgment and reaction time, diminish recognition of vulnerability, reduce one’s ability to obtain or give
consent, and decrease the capacity to resist unwanted sexual
activities (Abbey, 2002; Carr & VanDeusen, 2004). Alcoholfueled sexual aggression is anti-social behavior that harms
thousands of students each year.
According to the NIAAA College Task Force Report (April
2002), preconceived expectations about the effect of alcohol
may be as important as the pharmacological effect of the
drug. The influence of alcohol on behavior and judgment
may increase misperceptions of sexual interest and lead to
perpetrators ignoring refusal cues or victims disregarding risk
cues. Alcohol is often used to blame victims, as a justification
by offenders, and a frequent weapon in sexual violence.
Thus, unwanted, pressured, and/or “regretted” sexual activities
become a common occurrence among college students.
A national survey indicated that approximately 44% of
college students reported binge drinking (five or more drinks
in a row for men and four or more in a row for women)
in the last two weeks (Wechsler, et al., 2002). The Spring
2007 ACHA-NCHA data showed that approximately 36%
of female college students and 35% of male college students
had an estimated Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) greater
than or equal to .08 the last time they “partied” or socialized
(ACHA, 2007).
College drinking frequently occurs in sexually charged
settings such as bars, nightclubs, and parties where sexual
activity may be desired or expected and students may be
pressured to drink. Female college students in particular are
often targeted and incorrectly believe that they are safe among
friends. Women are consistently rated as more culpable for
acquaintance rape when they have been drinking. Humphrey
and White (2000) reported that in their first year of college,
31% of college women experienced some type of sexual
assault and 6.4% experienced completed rape. Further,
Mohler-Kuo, Dowdall, Koss, and Wechsler (2003) reported
that 72% of female students who experienced rape were so
intoxicated they were unable to consent.
In order to change individual campus norms, it is necessary
to understand the context and reasons (the how, when, and
why) that students use alcohol and the connection to sexual
violence. By obtaining data on alcohol use and sexual violence
on individual campuses and consequently identifying high-risk
groups, institutions can focus efforts to lessen high-risk alcohol
use as well as incidents of sexual violence. Campuses might
also consider conducting focus groups of diverse student
populations and high-risk groups (e.g., athletes, Greeks, etc.)
to determine the reasons and decisions to drink.
Ultimately, collecting campus data can lead to a collaboration between students, faculty, staff, and administrators to
develop strategies to promote positive change appropriate
to an individual campus — change that includes alcohol-free
recreation, athletic events, social activities, and campus
celebrations, as well as daily student life in residence halls
and other campus housing.
The Task Force of the National Advisory Council on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (April 2002) offers a clear
structure for change around alcohol use on campuses including a series of approximately 20 recommendations (see
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries).
Primary prevention of sexual violence holds powerful
implications for campuses. Positive campus experiences,
student safety, student retention, and student learning are high
priorities for all institutions. As campuses shift the paradigm to
primary prevention of sexual violence, the following actions
are suggested:
1.8% of female college students and 0.9% of male college
students who drank alcohol reported the consequence of
having someone use force or threat of force to have sex with
them in the last school year (ACHA, 2008). The Spring 2007
ACHA-NCHA also showed that 12.9% of female college
students and 6.2% of male college students reported some
form of sexually aggressive experience within the last school
year. These experiences included verbal threats for sex
against their will, sexual touching against their will, and
attempted and completed sexual penetration against their
will (ACHA unpublished data, 2008).
✤ Recognize that students provide the data and the
solution to changing a campus culture.
19
Alcohol and Sexual Violence
BRIEF SCREENING FOR
HIGH-RISK ALCOHOL USE
✤ Examine and revise campus policies regarding alcohol
and violence.
✤ Establish campus-community coalitions to support
campus policies regarding alcohol use and the control
of alcohol access by students.
College health professionals have limited time with
students. Research shows, however, that a brief
intervention can decrease alcohol use significantly
among people who drink in high-risk fashion.
✤ Enlist support and involvement of large social groups
such as Greeks and athletes to take a stand against
high-risk drinking and/or forced sex (Abbey, 2002).
✤ Encourage collaboration between those on campus who
are responsible for alcohol programming and those who
are responsible for sexual violence prevention (Abbey,
2002).
A single question (or more, if time allows) can
be included on a student history/intake form or
asked at each health/wellness visit. In just a few
minutes, one can ask the question, reflect understanding, and use the teachable moment to make
a referral, if appropriate, to health education,
counseling, and/or community resources.
✤ Employ multiple modalities in education programming
on alcohol use and negative consequences of poor
decisions.
✤ Include questions about sexual violence and alcohol
use in all health, counseling, and judicial affairs visits.
A single alcohol intervention question might be:
How many times in the past year have
you had five or more drinks on one
occasion (for men) or four or more drinks
on one occasion (for women)?
College health professionals can become catalysts and
powerful agents of change on the issue of campus sexual
violence prevention and alcohol misuse. Further, college
health professionals can lessen alcohol-related violence on
campus through continuous, timely, accurate, comprehensive,
and consistent primary prevention efforts.
One or more heavy drinking days indicates highrisk alcohol use. Even one episode of high-risk
drinking can have negative physical, academic,
social, and/or emotional consequences.
References
Abbey, A. (2002). Alcohol-related sexual assault: A common problem among college students.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Supplement No. 14, 118-128.
If time allows, ask about a pattern of alcohol use.
Questions might include:
American College Health Association (ACHA). (2007). National college health assessment:
Reference group executive summary spring 2007. Baltimore, MD: Author.
✤ How often do you drink alcohol?
American College Health Association (ACHA). (2008). American College Health Association-National
College Health Assessment spring 2007 reference group data report (abridged). Journal of American
College Health, 56(5), 469-479.
✤ How many drinks do you consume
when you drink?
American College Health Association (ACHA). (2008). American College Health Association-National
College Health Assessment spring 2007. Unpublished raw data.
✤ How often do you drink five or more
drinks on one occasion?
Carr, J.L., & VanDeusen, K.M. (2004). Risk factors for male sexual aggression on college campuses.
Journal of Family Violence, 19(5), 279-289.
As reflected in the national data, increased quantity
and frequency of alcohol consumption increases
the risk for negative consequences. Early intervention can reduce risk and help students make more
healthy decisions around alcohol use and thus
academic success.
Humphrey, J.A., & White, J.W. (2000). Women’s vulnerability to sexual assault from adolescence
to young adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health, 27, 419-424.
Mohler-Kuo M., Dowdall, G.W., Koss, M.P., & Wechsler, H. (2004, January). Correlates of rape while
intoxicated in a national sample of college women. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 65, 37-45.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Task Force on College Drinking.
(April 2002). A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges. (NIH publication
No. 02-5010). Author.
For more information and resources about brief
alcohol intervention, visit: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/
publications/Practitioner/CliniciansGuide2005/
clinicians_guide.htm
Wechsler, H., Lee, J.E., Kuo, M., Seibring, M., Nelson, T.F., & Lee, H. (2002). Trends in college
binge drinking during a period of increased prevention efforts. Findings of 4 Harvard School of
Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001. Journal of American College Health.
50(5), 203-217.
20
Prevention of Sexual Violence on Campus
An Assessment Tool
ACHA’s “Position Statement on Preventing Sexual Violence on College and University Campuses” recommends the following
15 actions be taken to address policy, prevention, and intervention as it pertains to sexual violence. College health
professionals, who are in a powerful position to prevent campus sexual violence, are encouraged to use the assessment tool
below periodically to note your institution’s level of completion of each action. Once the assessment is completed, the information
should be shared with administrators, faculty, staff, and students. This simple tool can also guide your campus efforts at
primary prevention of sexual violence.
Action yet to be addressed
Completed
1.
Develop a policy statement and directive from the
president/chancellor of the institution that demonstrates
recognition of sexual violence as a problem, a commitment
to reduce its occurrence, and action steps for the campus
community.
1
2
3
4
5
2.
Develop a multidisciplinary task force on campus to address
sexual violence prevention and response services that
includes high-level campus administration, academic leaders,
student leaders, and community partners.
1
2
3
4
5
3.
Create policies that reflect an expectation of civility, honor,
respect, and nonviolence for all members of the community
and encourage behaviors that build a sense of community.
1
2
3
4
5
4.
Revise, enforce, and widely distribute disciplinary regulations in the student code that demonstrate an intolerance
of all forms of sexual violence and implement sanctions for
violations by faculty, staff, and students.
1
2
3
4
5
5.
Educate disciplinary boards on non-stranger assaults, perpetrator patterns, and possible victim responses and patterns.
1
2
3
4
5
6.
Provide comprehensive training on all aspects of sexual
violence for campus administrators; campus law enforcement;
health and counseling services staff; faculty; staff; and student leaders that includes the dynamics of sexual violence,
access to care, victim response, and federal/state statutes.
1
2
3
4
5
7.
Develop a coordinated, seamless, victim-centered responseservice between campus and community resources that
offers the options of:
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Anonymous reporting
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Law enforcement involvement
1
2
3
4
5
21
Prevention of Sexual Violence on Campus: An Assessment Tool
Action yet to be addressed
Completed
✤
Judicial/disciplinary board actions
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Medical care/forensic examination
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Emergency contraception
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Academic/housing accommodations
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Follow-up counseling, support, and advocacy
1
2
3
4
5
8.
Integrate screening for sexual violence into patient history
protocols.
1
2
3
4
5
9.
Adhere to federal, state, and local statutes and reporting
requirements.
1
2
3
4
5
10. Integrate sexual violence prevention education into curricular
and non-curricular activities.
1
2
3
4
5
11. Offer residence hall and extra-curricular activities that are
alcohol free.
1
2
3
4
5
12. Develop educational/outreach programming that:
✤
Recognizes that sexual violence is a learned behavior
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Teaches bystander intervention techniques
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Addresses the role of consent in sexual relationships
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Encourages the involvement of men
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Addresses alcohol and other drugs issues and the
connection with sexual violence
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Provides concepts that encourage healthy, consensual
sexual relationships
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Addresses non-stranger sexual violence and dispels
traditional beliefs
1
2
3
4
5
✤
Encourages positive role modeling and mentoring for
men and women
1
2
3
4
5
13. Create and codify amnesty policies for underage drinking
for victims who report sexual assault.
1
2
3
4
5
14. Invest men in the prevention of sexual violence, including
those actions that dehumanize and objectify women.
1
2
3
4
5
15. Publish and announce the availability of protocols on campus
websites for all campus members to access resources, referrals, and helping strategies for victims of sexual violence.
1
2
3
4
5
22
Resources
Organizations
The following organizations provide information and resources on sexual violence prevention issues
and/or innovative programs. The list is provided as a starting point and is not intended to be an
exhaustive listing. Please note that a listing here is for the reader’s convenience and does not represent
an endorsement by ACHA. URLs are also subject to change.
American Academy of Pediatrics
www.aap.org
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
www.nsvrc.org
California Coalition Against Sexual
Assault
www.calcasa.org
www.mystrength.org
National Violence Against Women
Prevention Research Center
www.musc.edu/vawprevention
Office of Justice Programs
National Institute of Justice
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
Dating Violence Resource Center
www.ncvc.org
Higher Education Center for Alcohol and
Other Drug Prevention
www.higheredcenter.org
Prevention Institute
www.preventioninstitute.org
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National
Network
www.rainn.org
International Association of
Forensic Nurses
www.iafn.org
Security on Campus, Inc.
www.securityoncampus.org
Men Can Stop Rape
www.mencanstoprape.org
Sexual Assault Resource Service
www.sane-sart.com
Men Stopping Violence
www.menstoppingviolence.org
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control. Division of
Violence Prevention
www.cdc.gov/injury
Mentors in Violence Prevention
www.sportinsociety.org/mvp
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
www.naesv.org
Violence Against Women on Campuses.
(U.S. Department of Justice)
www.ovw.usdoj.gov
National Crime Prevention Council
www.ncpc.org
National Online Resource Center on
Violence Against Women
www.vawnet.org
23
Primary prevention of sexual violence
— approaches that take place before
sexual violence has occurred to prevent
initial perpetration or victimization
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What is the focus of this toolkit?
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
✤ President/Chancellor
✤ Provost
✤ Vice President for Student Affairs
✤ Faculty
✤ Dean of Students
✤ Student Affairs/Life staff
✤ Student Health Center staff
✤ Health Promotion/Wellness staff
✤ Student Counseling Center staff
✤ Peer Educators
✤ Students
American College Health Association
Who should be interested in this toolkit?
Share this ACHA Toolkit widely across your campus!
(download at www.acha.org/SexualViolence)